How life has changed in Vale of Glamorgan

Vale of Glamorgan's population increased by about 7,000 between the last two censuses. This semi-automated article highlights some of the key changes among the local population.

The population reached nearly 130,000

In the decade to 2011, the population of Vale of Glamorgan increased by 5.9%, from just over 119,000 to 126,000.

The addition of just over 7,000 people means this area's population increased at a similar rate to the overall population of Wales (up 5.5% since the 2001 census).

In 2011, Vale of Glamorgan was home to, on average, 2.7 people per football pitch-sized piece of land.

Population density was higher than the average across Wales

Population density (usual residents per football pitch-sized piece of land) across Wales, March 2011 (larger dots represent greater increase since 2001)

An older Vale of Glamorgan

Census 2011 data also show a change in the local population's average age.

Between the last two censuses, the median age of Vale of Glamorgan increased by three years, from 39 to 42 years.

This area had a slightly higher average age than Chorley (one of the most statistically similar areas to Vale of Glamorgan based on ONS area classifications) (41 years of age) and became slightly older than the average local authority area across Wales (41 years of age).

The rise in age was because of an increase of just over 3,800 people between the ages of 60 and 69 years, while the population between 30 and 39 years decreased by just under 2,000.

About 12.0% of people in Vale of Glamorgan are aged between 60 and 69 years

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan by 10 year age band, March 2001 and March 2011

Welsh language in Vale of Glamorgan

The proportion of Welsh speakers in Vale of Glamorgan remained close to 10.8% in the 10 years leading up to Census 2011.

There are 455 more people living here who spoke Welsh compared with 2001, while the number of people who did not spoke Welsh increased by 6,447.

In Cardiff (the local authority area that shares the largest boundary with Vale of Glamorgan), 11.1% of people over the age of three could speak some Welsh, similar to the 2001 figure. Across Wales, the proportion fell from 20.5% to 19.0%.

Monmouthshire was one of the few areas that saw an increase in the proportion of Welsh speakers (from 9.0% in 2001 to 9.9% in 2011), while Carmarthenshire saw the largest fall (from 50.1% to 43.9%).

The proportion of people who could speak Welsh was lower than across Wales

Percentage of people aged three and over that said they could speak Welsh across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Fewer homes with children

Vale of Glamorgan saw Wales' second-largest fall in the proportion of households with children.

During this period, Vale of Glamorgan overtook to become the Wales local authority area with the eighth-highest percentage of households with children.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.6%) households in Vale of Glamorgan had at least one dependent child, compared with 32.6% in 2001. The percentage with no children increased from 58.1% to 60.0%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of households with children occurred in Isle of Anglesey (from 28.6% to 25.4%).

The proportion of households with children was higher than across Wales

Percentage of households with at least one dependent child across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Rise in private renting

Vale of Glamorgan saw Wales' third-largest rise in the proportion of privately rented homes.

During this period, Vale of Glamorgan overtook Carmarthenshire, Pembrokeshire and Isle of Anglesey to become the Wales local authority area with the eighth-highest percentage of private renting.

In 2011, just over one in seven (14.6%) households in Vale of Glamorgan rented privately, compared with 7.9% in 2001. The percentage of socially rented homes decreased from 12.9% to 11.9%.

Wales' largest increase in the proportion of privately rented homes occurred in Cardiff (from 11.1% to 21.9%) followed by Newport (from 5.4% to 14.0%).

Private renting in Vale of Glamorgan increased by 6.7 percentage points

Percentage of households in Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Wales that rented privately, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer married people

Vale of Glamorgan saw Wales' third-largest fall in the proportion of married people.

In 2011, just under one in two (49.3%) people aged 16 and over in Vale of Glamorgan said they were married, compared with 55.3% in 2001. The percentage that said they were single increased from 25.3% to 30.8%.

Wales' largest decrease in the proportion of married people occurred in Blaenau Gwent (from 51.0% to 44.5%) followed by Swansea (from 50.1% to 43.9%).

The proportion of married people was higher than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 and over that said they were married across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Religion in Vale of Glamorgan

The 2011 Census asked a voluntary question about religion. Of those who chose to disclose their religious affiliation, the largest percentage point increase in Vale of Glamorgan was among those who said they had no religion, rising 15.4 points.

In 2011, 35.5% of respondents in Vale of Glamorgan gave this answer to the question on religion, compared with 20.1% of those who answered in 2001.

Across Wales, the percentage of people who answered the question on religion and described themselves as having no religion increased from 20.2% to 34.7%.

Of those who disclosed their religion in Vale of Glamorgan, 62.7% said they were Christian, compared with 78.7% in 2001. About 0.7% said they were Muslim, compared with 0.4% a decade prior.

In Vale of Glamorgan, 7.4% chose not to answer the question on religious affiliation, compared with 7.2% in 2001. Across Wales, 7.6% did not answer the voluntary question, compared with 8.1% in 2001.

There are many factors that can cause changes to the religious profile of an area, such as differing patterns of ageing or of moving to or from an area for work or education. Changes may also be caused by differences in the way individuals choose to self-identify between censuses.

The population that said they had no religion in Vale of Glamorgan increased by 15 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents who answered the voluntary question on religion in Wales, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan by religion, March 2001 and March 2011

Health improved

The percentage of Vale of Glamorgan residents that described their health as bad or very bad decreased from 10.4% to 6.4% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

Rates are standardised to account for variation in age, which can impact the local population's health.

In 2011, just over 8 in 10 (80.1%) said their health was good or very good, compared with 68.3% in 2001. The percentage of Vale of Glamorgan residents that described their health as fair decreased from 21.3% to 13.6%.

The proportion of residents that perceived their health as bad or very bad fell at a similar rate to nearby Cardiff (which remained close 6.4%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.5% to 7.6%.

These data are people’s own opinions in describing their overall health. They may be inconsistent with other measures of health, such as NHS records.

The percentage of people in ’bad’ or ’very bad’ health in Vale of Glamorgan decreased by 4 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents in Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Wales said their health was bad or very bad, March 2001 and March 2011

Fewer people worked long hours

The percentage of employed people in Vale of Glamorgan working more than 49 hours in the week before the census decreased from 12.6% to 10.2% in the decade leading up to the most recent census.

In 2011, just over 1 in 40 (2.9%) people aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) said they had worked less than 16 hours the previous week, compared with 1.7% in 2001.

The proportion of people working long hours fell at a similar rate to nearby Cardiff (which remained close 7.9%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 12.0% to 9.3%.

Long hour working in Vale of Glamorgan decreased by 2.3 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 (in employment the week before the Census 2011) in Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Wales that said they had worked over 49 hours the week before completing the census, March 2001 and March 2011

More people cohabiting

The percentage of households in Vale of Glamorgan, which comprised a cohabiting couple, increased from 7.4% to 9.4% in the 10 years leading up to the latest census.

In 2011, just under 3 in 10 (29.6%) households had only one person, compared with 26.6% in 2001. The percentage of households in Vale of Glamorgan which comprised a married couple (with or without children) decreased from 39.9% to 34.9%.

The proportion of households with an unmarried couple increased at a similar rate to nearby Cardiff (which remained close 10.2%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 7.5% to 9.7%.

The percentage of households with a cohabiting couple in Vale of Glamorgan increased by 2 percentage points

Percentage of households in Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Wales that had an unmarried couple, March 2001 and March 2011

Changing work life

The percentage of Vale of Glamorgan residents that were unemployed increased from 3.3% to 4.3% between the last two censuses.

In 2011, just over one in two (53.0%) people aged 16 to 74 said they were employed, compared with 52.1% in 2001. The percentage of Vale of Glamorgan residents that were self-employed increased from 7.9% to 9.3%.

The proportion of unemployed people increased at a similar rate to nearby Cardiff (which remained close 4.4%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 3.5% to 4.3%.

The rate of unemployment in Vale of Glamorgan increased by 1 percentage points

Percentage of usual residents aged 16 to 74 in Vale of Glamorgan, Cardiff and Wales that said they were unemployed, March 2001 and March 2011

Disability in Vale of Glamorgan

The percentage of Vale of Glamorgan residents whose day-to-day activities are not limited by a long-term health problem or disability remained close to 87.7% in the decade to 2011.

The percentage who reported being limited a lot in their day-to-day activities remained close to 3.9%, while the percentage of Vale of Glamorgan residents whose day-to-day activities are limited a little by a long-term health problem or disability increased from 7.7% to 7.9%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability fell at a similar rate to nearby Cardiff (which remained close 89.9%). Across Wales, the proportion fell from 88.3% to 87.9%.

The proportion of people who aren't limited by a long-term health problem or disability was lower than across Wales

Percentage of usual residents that reported not being limited in their day-to-day activities across local authority areas in Wales and the average across Wales, March 2011

Change in unpaid care

The percentage of Vale of Glamorgan residents that provided between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased from 1.3% to 1.6% in the 10 years leading up to 2011.

The percentage who reported providing at least 50 hours of unpaid care each week remained close to 2.6%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care increased at a similar rate to nearby Cardiff (which remained close 1.4%). Across Wales, the proportion increased from 1.5% to 1.8%.

The proportion of people providing between 20 and 49 hours of weekly unpaid care in Vale of Glamorgan remained close to 1.6%

Percentage of usual residents in Wales, Cardiff and Vale of Glamorgan by care, March 2001 and March 2011

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